The War That Saved My Life
Author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Pages: 352
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Book Description:
Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.
So begins a new adventure for Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?
Review:
This book isn’t afraid to tackle tough subjects such as neglect and war and fostering children. You will fall in love with Ada and feel the deep losses and triumphs as she faces her own inner wars while WWII is raging around her. The woman she is fostered by, Susan, is a lesbian whose partner has died, but this is not explicit and might be overlooked by some children. Susan is estranged from her own family because of her life’s choices, and she is very alone in the world until Ada and her brother come into her life. I think it is handled in a way that does not cast judgement or approval on her lifestyle, and treats her with grace and dignity.
